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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22366954">A Pawn's Place</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JDKoopa/pseuds/JDKoopa'>JDKoopa</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:34:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>722</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22366954</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JDKoopa/pseuds/JDKoopa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Anthony couldn't believe what was happening. Why him? Why did it have to be HIS mission? Hadn't Anankos taken enough from him?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Pawn's Place</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lord_Berkut/gifts">Lord_Berkut</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written as a request for Lord_Berkut</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Anthony couldn't believe what was happening. Why him? Why did it have to be HIS mission? Hadn't Anankos taken enough from him?</p>
<p> Anthony really HAD been planning to escape. After years of being near Anankos, he was tired of the pain he brought to others. </p>
<p>He was especially fed up with Anankos, who went back on his word.</p>
<p>Anthony had been a page of King Anankos for almost 5 years. However, not a day passed that he didn't wish to be anywhere else.</p>
<p>5 years ago, Anankos had called Anthony's father in to serve him. His family came from a bloodline that had once been loyal retainers of the Kings of Valla. Anankos sought to use Anthony's father to start a new royal guard, as his plans to crush Nohr and Hoshido were nearing completion.</p>
<p>Anthony's father refused to serve, and in a rage Anankos struck him down. He turned his anger toward the rest of Anthony's family, his mother and his baby sister, Amelia. Before Anankos could destroy them all, Anthony pledged loyalty to Anankos, under the condition that his family be spared and left alone.</p>
<p>This was a deal Anankos honored for 3 long years of service. However, after those three years, Anthony watched Anankos murder his mother, who had asked to simply spend the day with Anthony for his birthday. Anankos had laughed coldly before snapping her neck in front of the young boy. </p>
<p>Anthony had wanted to scream, but he knew better. Amelia was still alive, and he had to protect her. Anankos turned to him and smiled. “I guess you’re free to work on your birthday as usual,” he sneered before walking away.</p>
<p>The next two years had been difficult. Anthony, had harbored his rage, plotting to escape and get his sister to safety before returning to avenge his parents. He learned every route through the palace, every guard schedule and patrol. By the time he was ready to enact his plan, Anthony knew more about the castle than the architects who designed it all those years ago.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Anankos had caught on to his plan. Anthony went to his sister’s room to get her ready to leave, and was met by Anankos standing over his sleeping sister, with a finger held to his cold, smiling lips. “We wouldn’t want to wake her, would we?”</p>
<p>“What… What are you doing here?” Anthony almost dropped his lantern, his hood fell from his head as he trembled. “I thought you were going to be checking on your troops today.” </p>
<p>Ananklos laughed coldly. “I decided to check on them tomorrow. What concerns me more is what you’re doing here, my most trusted ward. You aren’t trying to escape, by chance, are you?”</p>
<p>“O-of course not, my liege.” Anthony tried to recover. He couldn’t let Ananklos ruin all his plans now. “I was merely thinking that if you were to be gone, I would spend some time with Amelia today. If you are going to be here, however, please allow me to serve you today as usual.” </p>
<p>“Well then. Today I need you to greet our guests. Your task is to go out and meet the visitors from the outside world, gain their trust, and lead them into a trap. If you can not succeed, I will kill your sister, and then I’ll punish you. Good luck.”</p>
<p>This time, Anthony dropped his lantern. He fell to his knees. “You… You monster.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I know what I am. But you will listen to my orders or you will see how much of a monster I can truly make you become.” As he walked past, Anthony grabbed his arm.</p>
<p>“If I succeed you here. Will you let me and my sister be free?” Anthony felt sweat dripping down his back, his shirt was sticking uncomfortably to his skin. “You’ll be destroying everything anyway, let us have whatever time is left.”</p>
<p>“Hmmm… I suppose if you succeed in this, you will have done enough to earn your freedom. However, do not fail me or you will suffer the consequences.”</p>
<p>Anthony had sat there for what felt like hours before finally grabbing his lantern and leaving to perform his duty. He left the castle, being “pursued” by some of Ananklos’ men, and ran toward the people he would have to kill to save his sister.</p>
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